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Sedation Dentistry in Inglewood, CA

Do you feel nervous or anxious at the thought of going to the dentist? You are not alone. At Blue Diamond Dental in Inglewood, CA, we believe that getting the dental care you need should never be a stressful experience. We offer safe and effective sedation dentistry options to help you feel completely relaxed, comfortable, and at ease during any procedure.

Overcome Dental Anxiety with Compassionate Care

Dental anxiety prevents many people from achieving a healthy, beautiful smile. If fear has kept you away from the dentist, our compassionate team is here to help. Dr. Anthony Ortega is Board Certified to administer oral conscious sedation, often referred to as “sleep dentistry.” We listen to your concerns without judgment and tailor our approach to make sure you feel entirely comfortable from the moment you sit in our chair.

Sedation Options to Fit Your Needs

We provide different levels of sedation to match your specific comfort needs and the type of treatment you are receiving. During your consultation, we will discuss your medical history and help you choose the best option for a worry-free visit.

Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)

Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, is a sweet-smelling, colorless gas that you breathe in through a small mask placed over your nose. It is a highly safe and fast-acting option that has been used in dentistry for decades.

Within minutes of breathing the gas, you will feel a deep sense of relaxation and calm. You will remain fully awake and in control, but your anxiety will melt away. One of the best benefits of nitrous oxide is that the effects wear off almost immediately after we remove the mask, meaning you can drive yourself home with no “hangover” feeling.

Oral Conscious Sedation

For patients with higher levels of anxiety, we offer oral conscious sedation. This involves taking a carefully prescribed anti-anxiety medication (a benzodiazepine) shortly before your appointment.

This medication safely tones down the fear receptors in your brain, putting you in a deeply relaxed, almost sleep-like state. While you can still respond to our team, you will likely remember very little about the procedure afterward. Because this medication makes you drowsy and can affect your coordination, you must arrange for a trusted friend or family member to drive you to and from our office.

Advanced Anesthesia for Complex Cases

Your safety and comfort are our top priorities. If you require a highly complex dental procedure or have severe dental phobia, we can bring in a specialized dental anesthesiologist. This allows us to safely manage even the most challenging treatments while providing you with the highest level of expert care.

The Incredible Benefits of Sedation Dentistry

Choosing sedation dentistry transforms the way you experience dental care. Our patients love the numerous benefits it provides, including:

  • Total Relaxation: You receive your treatment while in a calm, peaceful mood.
  • Time Savings: We can easily complete multiple treatments or full-mouth restorations in just a single visit.
  • Comfort During Long Visits: Sedation makes it much easier to sit comfortably through lengthier dental procedures.
  • Reduced Gag Reflex: Sedation techniques, particularly nitrous oxide, are incredibly effective at minimizing a sensitive gag reflex.
  • A Pain-Free Experience: Being relaxed greatly limits your discomfort both during and after your treatment.

Is Sedation Dentistry Right for You?

While sedation is a wonderful tool, it is not suitable for everyone. We carefully review your medical history, current medications, and any underlying conditions before recommending a sedation method. For example, nitrous oxide may not be ideal if you have chronic respiratory issues like COPD, and certain oral medications are not recommended during pregnancy or if you have specific heart or liver conditions. We will work closely with you to find the safest path to a healthy smile.

Schedule Your Stress-Free Dental Visit Today

Do not let fear dictate your oral health. Experience smarter, warmer, and much happier dental care with our specialized sedation options.

Book your anxiety-free dental appointment online today!

 

FAQ

Advantages to patients include:

  • Treatment is completed when you are in a more relaxed mood.
  • You will have less difficulty sitting through a lengthy procedure.
  • Multiple treatments and full mouth restorations can occur at during the same visit.
  • Less discomfort after treatment.

The most commonly prescribed dental related drugs that treat anxiety belong to the “benzodiazepine” family. Drugs such as Valium, Halcion, Xanax, or Ativan. These drugs decrease anxiety by binding and toning down activity within “fear” receptors in the brain.

There are two different types of Benzodiazepines:

  • Sedative-Hypnotics: These drugs induce calm, including drowsiness and even sleep. This sleep state is actually a form of hypnosis which is a form of physiological sleep.
  • Anti-Anxiety Drugs: These are drugs which relieve anxiety and induce a state of calm and relaxation.

While benzodiazepines act as sedatives AND anti-anxiety drugs, some are highly targeted at areas within the brain which focus on sleep. Others act in a more specific way and target fear centers in the brain.   In most cases, higher doses act as sedatives and induce sleep, while in lower doses, they reduce anxiety without sedation.

Benzodiazepines are also Central Nervous System (CNS) depressants (i.e. there can be a decline in blood pressure and breathing). It is important to note that they shouldn’t be mixed with other CNS depressants such as alcohol. Its important that you utilize the dose your dentist or doctor recommends. It is possible to overdose, and overdoses could lower your breathing to dangerously low levels, which could result in coma or death.

Please note that you shouldn’t travel on your own after you’ve taken any of these drugs. Make sure you have an escort, even if you traveled by bus or foot! It’s easy to become disorientated.

When not to take benzodiazepines:

Some of these drugs can affect your liver and heart. It’s important to check with your practitioner and/or pharmacist.  You should be sure to inform your doctor or dentist if any of the following apply: known allergy to the drug, narrow-angle glaucoma, pregnancy, severe respiratory disease (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF), impaired kidney or liver function, depression/bipolar disorder/psychoses, chronic bronchitis and some other conditions. It’s also important to let us know if you are taking other medications. There could be possible drug interactions.

Nitrous Oxide is a sweet-smelling, non-irritating, colorless gas which you can breathe. At Blue Diamond Dental, we utilize Nigrous Oxide to help provide comfort for our patients.

Nitrous Oxide has been the primary means of sedation in dentistry for many years. Nitrous oxide is safe, the patient receives 50-70% oxygen with no less than 30% nitrous oxide.

The patient is able to breathe on their own and remain in control of all bodily functions.

The patient may experience mild amnesia and may fall asleep, not remembering all of what happened during their appointment.

There are many advantages to using Nitrous Oxide

  • The depth of sedation can be altered at any time to increase or decrease sedation.
  • There is no after effect such as a “hangover”.
  • Inhalation sedation is safe with no side effects on your heart and lungs, etc.
  • Inhalation sedation is very effective in minimizing gagging.
  • It works rapidly as it reaches the brain within 20 seconds. In as little as 2-3 minutes its relaxation and pain killing properties develop.

Reasons to not use Nitrous Oxide

You should not utilize Nitrous Oxide if you have been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Though there are no other major contraindications to using nitrous oxide, you may not want to use it if you have emphysema, exotic chest problems, M.S., a cold or other difficulties with breathing.

You may want to ask your dentist for a “5 minute trial” to see how you feel with this type of sedation method before proceeding.

For more complex cases, we ensure comprehensive care by bringing in a dental anesthesiologist if needed. This allows us to manage even the most challenging procedures safely and effectively, providing our patients with the highest level of comfort and expertise.